Canadian Midmarket Business Leaders Concerned Remote Work Shift Makes it More Difficult to Protect Against Cyberattacks

Palo Alto Networks survey identifies areas where Canadian businesses with 100 to 1,000 employees fall short in following best practices for cybersecurity.

TORONTO, March 10, 2022 /CNW/ -- An overwhelming majority of decision-makers (86%) with midmarket Canadian businesses are concerned that the rapid adoption of a hybrid/remote work model over the past few years is making it more difficult for organizations to protect themselves against cyberattacks, according to a survey released today by Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), the global cybersecurity leader.

"While the majority of Canadian businesses have invested in improving their security posture, the research demonstrates that a significant portion still struggle to adapt their technologies, policies and employee training to better protect their networks in the new normal," said Ivan Orsanic, regional vice president and Canada country manager at Palo Alto Networks.

The study sought to better understand how Canadian businesses with 100 to 1,000 employees are handling the increased challenges of securing a remote workforce. It identified key areas where significant numbers of organizations are not following best practices:

• Almost half of leaders (47%) and half of employees (49%) said their organizations haven't updated or implemented new cybersecurity training in the past 12 months.
• One in three leaders reported that their organizations had either not changed or decreased cybersecurity spending over the past 12 months.
• About one in five midmarket business leaders (17%) said they haven't updated their cybersecurity technologies or policies to better secure hybrid and remote workers. Another 13% said they weren't sure.

The survey also demonstrated that rank-and-file employees are not as focused on security as business leaders:

• 30% of employees reported they are aware their organization will regularly back up their data over the next 12 months, compared to 59% of leaders
• 26% of employees said they are aware their organization will implement additional cybersecurity training over the next 12 months, compared to 54% of leaders

These results highlight the need for businesses to take a new look at the way they approach securing employee devices and communications in the hybrid work age, said Theo van Wyk, head of solution development and cybersecurity for CDW Canada. "It is more critical than ever for businesses to review how their people, processes and technologies must work together to provide the correct level of security and resilience for their needs."

For more information, read the 2021 Palo Alto Networks Canada Ransomware Barometer, which is available on the Palo Alto Networks website.

Survey Methodology
Angus Reid conducted the online survey in September 2021 on behalf of Palo Alto Networks. Respondents included a representative sample of 1,015 business and IT decision-makers in organizations with 100 to 1,000 employees,  as well as 502 working Canadians. Respondents are members of the Angus Reid Business Advisory Network. For comparison purposes only, this sample plan would carry a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points 19 times out of 20 for business leaders.

About Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, is shaping the cloud-centric future with technology that is transforming the way people and organizations operate. Our mission is to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life. We help address the world's greatest security challenges with continuous innovation that seizes the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, analytics, automation, and orchestration. By delivering an integrated platform and empowering a growing ecosystem of partners, we are at the forefront of protecting tens of thousands of organizations across clouds, networks, and mobile devices. Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. For more information, visit www.paloaltonetworks.com.

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SOURCE Palo Alto Networks, Inc.

Jim Finkle, [email protected]